Chapter 109 - 109: The Marine Rookie Who Shook the World

Words : 1243 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Drip. Drip. Specks of blood trickled down from the sky, staining the ice-covered ground crimson. Yoriichi Tsugikuni had already landed, his gaze following Golden Lion Shiki as the pirate vanished from view. His brows furrowed slightly. A cloud of mist descended from the sky, quickly condensing beside Yoriichi into the form of Kuzan. Kuzan lifted his head to look at the sky as well and murmured apologetically, "Sorry about that, Yoriichi." He understood clearly, Yoriichi could've finished Shiki right then. The slash aimed at Shiki's elbow could have been aimed directly at his neck. But because Shiki's attack had been moments away from hitting Kuzan, Yoriichi had redirected his blade to save him. Otherwise, with Observation Killer and Advanced Conqueror's Haki, that blow would've taken far more than just a forearm. From the moment Shiki dropped to the ground to engage them in close combat, his chances of winning had plummeted. "What are you talking about? If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have had the opening for that attack," Yoriichi replied. "You really don't care about dying, huh? If I had been a second slower, Shiki's strike would've gutted you on the spot." "If that happened, Kuzan, you would've actually died." He turned his head to glance at Kuzan beside him, unable to hide the lingering weight in his voice. Kuzan's decision to face Shiki head-on had clearly left an impression on him. "Heh, I won't die," Kuzan said with a smile. "Not while you're here, right?" His grin was so bright that even Yoriichi found himself momentarily breathless. But then he softened, smiling back and shaking his head. "You're really putting pressure on me with a line like that, Kuzan." As they spoke, Kuzan's attention drifted toward something on the ground, a severed arm still gripping a katana. Shiki had fled hastily, but he'd left behind his blade. Under the sunlight, the edge of the sword gleamed with a chilling light, matching perfectly with the icy battlefield. "Yoriichi, this was Shiki's personal sword," Kuzan said with surprise. "The famous blade, Kogarashi!" "Take a look." Kuzan pried the sword from the severed arm and gave it a brief inspection before tossing it over to Yoriichi. Yoriichi caught Kogarashi instinctively, gave it a cursory glance, and quickly lost interest. There was no doubt that, as one of the 21 Great Grade Swords, Kogarashi was an exceptional blade. Yoriichi could tell its quality at a glance. However, even within the 21 Great Grade category, this wasn't among the finest. The two blades that Garp had previously given him, Ame-no-Habakiri and Enma were both far superior. Enma had even begun evolving toward becoming a black blade. As for Yoriichi's personal sword, it was on an entirely different tier, a Supreme Grade Sword, far above Kogarashi in both craftsmanship and power. Yoriichi wasn't a dual-wielding swordsman, let alone a three-sword-style fighter. He didn't need so many weapons. Kuzan, on the other hand, had been training his physical combat skills ever since the incident on To'u Island. He had grown more adept with a sword lately. Even though he could form ice blades at will thanks to his Logia powers, a blade of ice could never compare to a legendary sword. "Kuzan, the sword is yours," Yoriichi said. "Consider it a reward for your fearlessness." He tossed Kogarashi back, and Kuzan caught it again. But Yoriichi's phrasing made him raise an eyebrow. Scratching his head, Kuzan muttered, "Hey, Yoriichi, technically I'm the Vice Admiral here." "When it comes to distributing spoils, I should be the one calling the shots." Still, he didn't throw the sword back. After what they'd been through, their bond had clearly deepened. It no longer made sense to distinguish between "yours" and "mine." While Kuzan wasn't obsessed with famous swords, he couldn't deny feeling pleased about obtaining a weapon once wielded by the great Golden Lion Shiki. "Man, talk about luck," Kuzan chuckled. "Shiki gave up his greatest advantage just to fight us on the ground." "If he hadn't gotten cocky, Vice Admiral Garp might've had to come retrieve our bodies." "Yoriichi, did you know Shiki's Devil Fruit powers have awakened?" "If he wanted, he could've lifted the entire Lodestar Island into the sky." "Looks like our young faces really came in handy today." As he spoke, Kuzan retracted his ice powers and looked across the battlefield, battered and broken. Despite the devastation, he felt incredibly fortunate. Not only had they survived a battle against a legendary pirate, but they had driven him away. He couldn't help feeling a bit proud. He was, after all, only in his early twenties. That age where people still chased glory. "Don't celebrate too soon," Yoriichi warned. "You heard what Shiki said before he left." "Pirates like him don't make empty threats." "We got lucky today. Next time, we might not." "We still have to be cautious, Kuzan. We should notify headquarters. Your family will need protection." As he spoke, Yoriichi began scanning the battlefield. Spotting his sheath, he retrieved it and slid his blade into place. But Kuzan's expression shifted as he heard those words. A shadow passed over his face. Holding Kogarashi in one hand, he slipped his other into his pocket and said in a low voice, "No need for that." "My family… is long gone." "…Yoriichi, make sure you don't die on me." Yoriichi hadn't expected that answer. After a brief silence, he smiled gently and replied, "Don't worry. I've got you, don't I?" They locked eyes and bumped fists in quiet solidarity. After the battle, Yoriichi and Kuzan returned to their warship. The moment they stepped aboard, a cheer erupted from the crew. Even from the port, they'd seen glimpses of the battle on the island. Many had witnessed Shiki fly away into the sky. Now, with both Yoriichi and Kuzan returning safely, it was clear, the Marines had won. The cheers died down only when Kuzan issued his orders. "Everyone, head to the island." "Gather our fallen comrades." "Report everything to Headquarters. And once that's done, help the locals rebuild." "All civilian losses… will be covered by the Marines!" Not long after the battle at Lodestar Island, Marine Headquarters received news that Vice Admiral Kuzan's unit had successfully repelled Golden Lion Shiki. It was also reported that Kogarashi, the infamous sword, had become Kuzan's war trophy. Fleet Admiral Kong was stunned when he read the report. He immediately shared the news with the rest of the Navy and even summoned journalists to publish the story. And so, the names of Marine Vice Admiral Kuzan and Marine Captain Yoriichi Tsugikuni spread far and wide, appearing on newspapers circulated across the Grand Line. Somewhere in the New World… Aboard the Moby Dick, a thunderous laugh erupted on deck. "Gurarararara!" "That damn Golden Lion really went and tripped in a gutter!" "Vice Admiral? Captain? Two little brats…" "Gurararararara!" ///////////////////////// Support me by adding this fic into your library! 100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter For Advance Chapters, please visit and consider joining me on P(a)treon! p(a)treon.com/Lnee 1-2 Chapters daily on P(a)treon, will go up depends on the powerstone extra chapters.

Chapter 109 - 109: The Marine Rookie Who Shook the World

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